Central Science Laboratory in Sandy Bay, Tasmania, Australia | Local business

Central Science Laboratory

Locality: Sandy Bay, Tasmania, Australia

Phone: +61 3 6226 2055

Address: Dobson Road 7005 Sandy Bay, TAS, Australia

Website: www.utas.edu.au/research/central-science-laboratory

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24.01.2022 CSL supported research wins Menzies 'Best of the Best' in 2019 Excellence awards. The paper titled ‘Two of a kind: transmissible Schwann cell cancers in the endangered Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii)’ demonstrates that the two known Devil facial tumours, DFT1 and DFT2, have originated from a similar cell type and that the mechanisms of tumorigenesis are likely to be different between the two. Both of these pieces of information are important for understanding the susce...ptibility of Devils to transmissible tumours and in developing strategies to mitigate the risk and progression of the disease in this endangered species. Historically, most of the genetics and genomics work relating to Tasmanian Devils and the DFT disease has been led by research groups overseas and interstate. The skills demonstrated in executing this research to such a high standard are a notable achievement. The paper's authors include CSL Senior research Fellow, Richard Wilson and has now been selected for publication in a print issue of Cellular & Molecular Life Sciences. Two of a kind: transmissible Schwann cell cancers in the endangered Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii)’ Patchett AL, Coorens THH, Darby J, Wilson R, McKay MJ, Kamath KS, Rubin A, Wakefield M, Mcintosh L, Mangiola S, Pye RJ, Flies AS, Corcoran LM, Lyons AB, Woods GM, Murchison EP, Papenfuss AT, Tovar C. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2019 Aug 2. doi: 10.1007/s00018-019-03259-2. #weareutas

21.01.2022 2018 CSL Peter W Smith Postgraduate Prize awarded to Amanda Patchett from Menzies. Amanda's PhD involved an analysis at phenotypic and functional levels of toll like receptors (TLRs) in Tasmanian devils. Genomic and proteomics analyses were used to detect the presence of TLRs. Functional analyses were performed by stimulating Tasmanian devil immune cells with TLR agonists. One of these agonists was Imiquimod, which activates immune cells via TLR7. Amanda confirmed the functio...nal presence of TLR7, but noticed that if Devil Facial Disease Tumour (DFTD) were treated with Imiquimod, the tumour cells appeared unhealthy. Rather than ignore this finding as a side effect, Amanda followed up this observation and this led to an excellent piece of scientific enquiry, clever experimental design, in depth analyses and thorough interpretation. The publication in Oncotarget "Transcriptome and proteome profiling reveals stress-induced expression signatures of Imiquimod-treated Tasmanian Devil Tumor Disease cells" exhibits all of these hallmarks. Amanda's primary supervisor Prof Greg Woods soon realised that the Imiquimod study required proteomics and bioinformatics, and consequently, the experience of Richard Wilson from the CSL and the support of Cesar Tovar from Menzies was paramount. To increase her knowledge of the bioinformatics aspects, Amanda undertook our CSL Grad Cert course XGR504 and in combination with Richard and Cesar’s collaboration (amongst others), this led to a successful outcome involving the study of Imiquimod's actions. The standard of applications this year was very high and Amanda can be justifiably very proud of her achievement. University of Tasmania Menzies Institute for Medical Research

20.01.2022 Another great UTAS story; we are working with our University of Tasmania researcher colleagues to support Tassie's wine industry. Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture https://r2r.utas.edu.au/good-enough-to-bottle-supporting-th

20.01.2022 The Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) Analytical and Environmental Chemistry Division has awarded CSL staff member Ashley Townsend a 2018 Division Citation for ‘Unfaltering service to chemistry in Australia through the RACI, and enabling internationally leading environmental research through trace metal analysis.’ It is an honour for Ashley to be recognised nationally by his peers and the CSL team heartily congratulate him. Well done Ashley! Previous recipients of Di...vision Citations are listed below: 2015 Professor Simon Lewis Curtin University For ‘outstanding contributions to teaching, research and outreach activities in analytical chemistry and in particular, forensic science in Australia.’ Professor Darryl Hawker Griffith University For ‘outstanding and sustained contributions to learning and teaching in environmental chemistry in Australia.’ 2016 Professor Neil Barnett Deakin University For ‘introducing and championing the annual R&D Topics Conference in Australia, which has provided immeasurable benefit to Honours and HDR students over the past 25 years.’ 2017 Dr Danny Wong Macquarie University For ‘outstanding service to the Division of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.’

20.01.2022 New Sequencer Dramatically Increasing Research Workflow The CSL’s new Sanger DNA sequencing ABI 3500 Genetic Analysis System is enabling rapid confirmation of gene products. The system is receiving increased interest from researchers because of its superior throughput and sensitivity. Below are 3 recent examples of its use ARC Future Fellow A/Prof Eloise Foo’s team is examining the role of plant hormones and other mobile signals in plant symbioses with beneficial microbes. ...Plants form intimate associations with nutrient acquiring fungi and bacteria and this project hopes to uncover novel ways we might harness this for future crop improvement. The sequencer is being used to rapidly confirm cloned gene products. School of Medicine Epigeneticist Philippa Taberlay’s research focuses on distal regulatory elements and three-dimensional aspects of gene control. She is seeking to delineate mechanisms of epigenetic reprogramming in development, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders. Currently her team is designing and optimising an assay using the CSL’s system, that combines chromatin immunoprecipitation with NOMe-seq to determine methylation status, nucleosome positioning, and protein occupancy simultaneously on the same strand of DNA. A Menzies research group headed by Prof. Alex Hewitt is focused on the directed evolution of proteins using mutagenic viruses. Sanger sequencing forms an integral part of the QC process in which the 'gene pool' is sampled after each round to determine the dominant allele present within the population of viruses. The cloning of the transgene into a bacterial vector permits long-read sequencing of the DNA sequence of interest and provides a robust, rapid and reliable method for quantifying potential mutants of interest. #weareutas Image attribution: Giles K.A., Taberlay P.C. (2019) The Role of Nucleosomes in Epigenetic Gene Regulation. In: Hesson L., Pritchard A. (eds) Clinical Epigenetics. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8958-0_4

20.01.2022 CSL Infrared microscopy used to identify microplastics for the first time in Antarctic sea ice core A UTas/AAD research team, including the CSL's Thomas Rodemann has published what is believed to be the first time microplastics have been identified in an ice core from Antarctica. Thomas' PhD student, Anna Kelly was interviewed by the ABC and the story has appeared in The Guardian and Channel 9 & 7 news bulletins. #weareutas... https://www.facebook.com/UniversityofTasmania https://www.abc.net.au//microplastics-found-in-an/12173386

19.01.2022 http://www.media.utas.edu.au//new-research-shows-impact-of #IMAS #weareutas #proteomics Central Science Laboratory

18.01.2022 Magic Beads! Our Proteomics Mass Spectroscopy Facility has implemented new methods for proteomics sample preparation, including the single-pot, solid-phase-enhanced sample preparation (SP3) method, recently reported in Nature Protocols (doi.org/10.1038/s41596-018-0082-x). This approach uses functionalised 1m paramagnetic beads to extract proteins and prepare peptides, is scalable down to low-microgram amounts of protein and expands the range of extraction reagents compatible with down-stream proteolysis and nano-LC/MS analysis. As such this is an exciting development for proteomics research where sample quantities are very limited and for cells/tissues where protein extraction and solubilisation is challenging. Contact Senior Research Fellow Dr Richard Wilson for more info: [email protected]

18.01.2022 https://www.facebook.com/136334910007/posts/10161997101195008/ Another great project involving the CSL

17.01.2022 https://twitter.com/drkatheri//1052832580943273990/photo/1 The CSL's David Nichols is a team recipient of the College of Science and Engineering Executive Dean's award for Outstanding Cross-College Collaboration. Well done David!... Details of the collaboration below- Optimising fruit quality and nutritive properties of sweet cherries: a cross-college collaboration between Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences Nigel Swarts1, Katherine Kent2, Nadine Holzel1, David Nichols3 1. Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, College of Sciences and Engineering UTAS 2. Centre for Rural Health, College of Health and Medicine UTAS 3. Central Sciences Laboratory UTAS A program of research is emerging from a large industry-funded study entitled the ‘More Profit from Nitrogen’ Program (Rural Research and Development for Profit, awarded to Nigel Swarts (NS), 2017-2021, $1,500,000), which could end up helping human health as much as cherries. An innovative collaboration between the College of Science and Engineering (CoSE), the College of Health and Medicine (CoHAM) and the Central Science Laboratory (CSL) has been established to investigate the red pigments in cherries called anthocyanins. These compounds provide the red colour in cherries, which is a major quality indicator for the fruit and additionally, an emerging body of evidence underpins their potential therapeutic role in human disease. The multidisciplinary research demonstrates a robust cross-organisational collaboration, uniting expertise from nutrition, public health, science and agricultural science, which is facilitating the progression of a body of research with a grander scope than could be achieved in isolation. The program of research covers a wide range of methodologies spanning orchard management trials to human clinical trials, all contributing to further current understanding of how to optimise both fruit quality and the nutritive properties of sweet cherries. This program has become the focus of PhD student Nadine Holzel’s (NH) research with NS as primary supervisor and Katherine Kent (KK) as a cosupervisor. NS is a research fellow in tree physiology with a research focus on mineral nutrition and nitrogen management in tree crop orcharding. KK is a postdoctoral research fellow and has a background in nutrition and public health with a research focus on the impact of fruit flavonoids on cognitive and physical outcomes.

15.01.2022 Success in latest ARC Linkage Grant Round. A team of UTas researchers, including the CSL's Dr David Nichols, has been successful in securing an ARC Linkage Grant to research sarcoptic mange in wombats. The project, worth $178,117, will focus on developing feasible in situ control of mange disease in wombats. Globally important, the Sarcoptes scabiei mite infects >100 mammal species and is among the 50 most common human diseases, causing health, welfare and population impacts.... This infection is treatable, and the team will test a new treatment (fluralaner), develop new models to guide management, and conduct replicated field trials. This will enable science-based guidelines, advancing disease control, local eradication, and regulatory approval for wombats. The research framework is adaptable to other mange-impacted species, and advance methods and theory for control of treatable disease in wildlife. The UTas team, comprising Dr Scott Carve,; Dr Shane Richard, Associate Professor Michael Charleston, Dr David Phale,; Dr Kate Mounsey and Dr David Nichols is partnering with the following external entities on the project: MSD ANIMAL HEALTH; DPIPWE; THE TRUSTEE FOR THE MOE ASSOCIATES TRUST; WATER NSW; HYDRO TASMANIA and BONORONG WILDLIFE SANCTUARY PTY LTD University of Tasmania

14.01.2022 http://www.utas.edu.au//7/4/658-from-the-salon-to-the-lab/

14.01.2022 http://www.utas.edu.au//latest-/welcome-to-leesa-borojevic

12.01.2022 There is cause to celebrate recent success in the recent ARC LIEF and DISCOVERY project rounds. Richard Wilson (CSL) with colleagues Steven Smith (School of Biological Sciences); Brett Paull (School of Physical Sciences); Gregory Woods (Menzies/Health) and Anna King (Wicking Centre) have secured an ARC LIEF grant titled "Advanced high resolution biomolecular analysis facility for Tasmania". This will fund an advanced multi-purpose Mass Spectrometer which will underpin resear...ch programs spanning plant science, agricultural research, food safety, animal and human health research and separation science. David Nichols (CSL) and Calum Wilson (TIA) have together secured a Discovery grant titled "Manipulating plant root exudation for soil-borne disease control". This project will refine exudate analytic tools with wide application across plant sciences. We will then examine manipulation of exudation to alter pathogen signalling processes. The period between pathogen resting spore germination and root infection is of greatest vulnerability but is generally under-explored. Using a model pathogen system we will determine the genetic and physiological responses to phytochemical stimulation of resting spores. Manipulation of root chemical signals may offer novel and effective disease management tools. Many congratulations to our colleagues for their well deserved successes. Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture Menzies Institute for Medical Research UTAS School of Biological Sciences Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science (ACROSS) University of Tasmania

10.01.2022 http://www.utas.edu.au//new-state-of-the-art-electron-micr

08.01.2022 http://www.utas.edu.au//instrument-for-particle-size-analy

08.01.2022 http://www.utas.edu.au//colour-cathodoluminescence-imaging

06.01.2022 Staff movements in the CSL It’s with a degree of sadness that we farewell CSL stalwart Paul Waller from the University. After more than 43 years of dedicated service to UTAS, including 2 VC’s awards for exceptional performance, Paul has retired. We are very proud of Paul and his contributions and wish him all the very best in his next phase of life. We're happy to announce that Paul has been replaced by Philip Hortin in the Electronics Workshop. Philip brings with him wealth... of experience and knowledge and has previously worked for UWA in a very similar role. We are very fortunate to have a person of Philip’s calibre on board. Paul Waller (right) retires and is replaced by Philip Hortin (left).

02.01.2022 http://mobile.abc.net.au//utas-science-in-search-o/9860720

01.01.2022 New capacity and capability in Molecular Genetics Our Molecular Genetics facility in the Life Sciences building has commissioned a new capillary electrophoresis (CE) DNA sequencer. The AB3500 Genetic Analyser provides users with improved separation of both DNA sequences and fluorescently labelled DNA fragments, using the most up to date CE separation technology and data analysis software. We have also recently invested in a Bioruptor Plus sonicator and this has also be insta...lled in our Molecular Genetics Facility. The system has a major advantage over probe-based sonication devices in that multiple samples are processed concurrently under identical, temperature-controlled conditions without the risk of cross-contamination. Applications include cell/tissue lysis, biological extraction and sample preparation for next-generation DNA sequencing, metabolomics, proteomics and chromatin-immunoprecipitation. Contact senior scientist Adam Smolenski for more details - [email protected]